Thomas m



. T. MQPEL L. Process for ObtainihgMotive Power from Air and Gases.

No; 224,772; Patente 1880.

| INVENTOR:

N. PETERS. FNOTO-LJTHOGRAPHEFL WIASHMGTKJNv D C UNITED P TENT OFFICE.

i THOMAS M. FELL, or BROOKLYN, n. Assrenoe r FELL DYNAMIC MOTOR COMPANY, on JERSEY CITY, N. J.

Psocrss FOR, OBTAINING! gnvr POWER l-RQM AIR AND GASES.

SPECIFIQATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 224,772, dated February 24, 1880.

Application filed July 11, 1879. I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that LTD-norms MARA-FELL,

' civil engineer,of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Method, Mode, or Process of Obtaining Motive Power from Air and Gases; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and cleardescription there:- of, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon, forming partof this specification.

of a motive force. For many years past attempts have been My invention or discovery relates to that class of hot-air engines using air and also the gases or products of combustion for purposes made to utilize the well-known fact that the amount of heat necessary to expand compressed air into a superior force was not greater, butin fact less, than is required to expand rarefied or atmosphericair. The failure tofully realize this power was principally owing to one of the properties of air- -that of repelling heat in direct proportion to its density-while, therefore, a smaller number of units of heat are'required. Yet this adiathermatous property of air has always necessitat'eda greater intensity of temperature, bringing. about a destruction of the apparatus employed.

Compressed air has been used under a variety ofconditions First,by simplecompression by. means of a pump or compressor, and

heating same in contact with. heated metal surfaces; second, by simple compression in connection with the gases of combustion third, by retaining air in a compressed condition and circulating the'same through hot vessels, condensers, etc, and, fourth, by using in connection with steam and other vapors. These various plans, methods, ora iiparatus for obtaining thedynamic value of heat have further been unsuccessful in affording a large amount of power for the size'of apparatus employed and quantity of fuel consumed.

Now, my inyention is a combination of certain principles forming a new process, whereby a large amount of power can be obtained at small expense of either fuel, construction, or wear of machinery, and which Inow describe as follows:

Figure 1 represents a general vertical longitudinal section of the parts in combination, and Figs. 2 and 3 horizontal sections across the dotted lines designated by l 2 and 3 4, in whichi i A is a fire-place surrounded with a non-conducting material, which may be fire-clay, brick, or similar material, fitted with a grate operated by a rod, a stuffing-box, and a handle, B, on the outside, an airtight compartment or large reservoir, O, to contain fuel sufficient to last a certain periodof time, which may be one day. place by an iron plate constructed with a feeder, D, which is also operated by similar mechanism as used for the grate. The whole is fastened to an outside shell, E, capable of withstanding the pressure of the air. To this shell are fitted two air-tight man-holes, F and G, the top one for occasionally replenishing the supply of fuel and the bottom one for the removal of the ashes.

H is a plate bolted to the shell for the purpose of supporting the non-conducting material forming the sides, and to furnish a space used for the collection of the ashes.

I is a second shell, which, and the shell E, I prefer made of boiler-iron. These two are connected by a double iron flange, K, (more plainly seen in Fig. 2.) The shell I is lined with fire-brick or some refractory material, and is divided into two separate vessels by an iron dividing-plate, L, made airtight thereto, and supporting in'the center a large pipe, M, the upper portion or chamber forming the hot reservoir for the air and gases, in which is placed a perforated diaphragm with long rod, N, to support a mass of asbestus strips, pieces, or loose cloth, wire-gauze, orother suitable material, forthe purpose hereinafter given. On the top of this pipe is placed a valve,0, with a stem leading outside to a covered guide or cap, P. A man-hole, R, is located at the bottom for the removal of any fine dirt or ashes.

S S S S are four perforated plates, located within and fastened to the shell, separating it into compartments fitted with a series of small This is divided off from the fireholes, each set of which I prefer to be about equal to the area of the supply-pipe to the cylinder or engine. T is a combustion and airmixing chamber, also lined with non-conducting material, and divided by a vertical crosspartition plate, U, of firebrick, clay, or other material in a similar manner to the partition V shown in the fire-place. WV is a pipe and cock used for discharging air when necessary; X, a connecting-flue between the fire-place and chamber T, having a flue, Y, in connection with a chimney or ordinary smoke-flue, and fitted with a valve, Z. (See Fig. 2.)

The other parts of the apparatus are represented and described as A, the cylinder or e11- gine, resting upon the bed-frame, titted with the usual valves, piston, &c.; B, the main circulalin g compressed-air pump, fitted with a single or double set of suction and exhaust valves, and also fitted with two stuffing-boxes, one on each end, and surrounded by a waterjacket; 0, an atmospheric-air pump, for drawing in a fresh supply of air at each stroke, for the purpose hereinafter given, similarly fitted with valves, piston, and a cold-water jacket; D, the equalizer, having a number of tubes for extracting heat from one current of air and communicating it to the other or colder current; and E, the cooler or condenser, also fitted with small tubes, supplied on the outside of said tubes with cold water circulated through and among them by the plates shown by the dotted lines, and by the pipes inserted at both ends. F is the connecting-pipe, fitted with the exhaust-valve G.

The equalizer D is connected with the combustion and air-mixing chamber T by a pipe, stop-valve, and check-valve, H. The end of said pipe is provided with a cross perforated pipe, as plainly shown in Fig.

The cooler or condenser is connected with the main circulating-pump B by a pipe, 1, (shown in dotted lines, at its lower or suctionvalve box.) K is a pipe from this pump, leading down into the equalizer on the outside of the tubes.

M is a pipe leading the fresh supply of air from the pump 0 to the fire-place, which is in connection with the pipe 0 P, the frame or support for both shells, and R a yoke-motion attachment for communicating power to the crank S by the piston-rod W, by which machinery is driven. T is a supply-pipe fitted with a valve, by which the hot air and gases pass to the cylinder; U, a man-hole for removing clinkers, 8tc., and for adjusting the fire; and V, a spy-hole, fitted so as to command a view of the fire from the outside of the apparatus.

The mode or method of operation is as follows: By means of an auxiliary pump or compressor and an air-vessel (not shown) a certain amount or density of air in proportion to the working force required is put into allparts of'the apparatus, except in the space occupied by the water on the outside of the tubes of the cooler E, the fire-place A, the coal-reservoir O and the ash-pit, the combustion and air-mixing chamber T, the connecting-flue X, and the pipe M, the air being kept out of these parts by the valve 0, and by closing the screw-stop valve on the connecting-pipe. A

fire is lighted on the gratebars, having the man-holes U and G and the valve Z on the flue Y open, the smoke, gases, &c., then passing out freely to any ordinary chimney. When the fire is well burned through these outlets are all closed and air turned on from the air-vessel (not shown) by a pipe connected with the cock N to the fire and by the pipe M, which renews combustion and completes the filling of the entire apparatus. It is necessary, however, that before opening the valve on the pipe T the supply of 'air be continued until the gage W shows that the hot pressure is enough to start the engine. Gold air--say of one hundred pounds density-if heated to the moderate extent of 300 Fahrenheit, will give a hot pressure of one hundred and fifty pounds, or two hundred pounds a hot pressure of three hundred pounds, without any additional amount of heat. This force is let onto the cylinder A by opening the val e T, and, being opposed by the main circulating-pump B with an inferior pressure, motion is obtained, and the surplus power used as a motive force, either by the yoke appliance, as before explained, or other means of receiving and imparting motion.

The exhaust passes, through the pipe shown by the dotted lines, first into the vessel which I term the equalizer, D, thence through the small tubes thereof, and by the pipe F into and through the tubes of the cold condenser E, arriving at the other end divested of its heat. From hence, by the pipe I, it is taken by the main circulating-pump and put back into the equalizer, but now on the other side of the tubes, eirculatin g between them by means of the dividing-plates, (shown by the dotted lines.) The main purpose ofthis equalizer is, therefore, to effect an economy of heat, as it will be seen that the greater part of the heat from. the exhaust is again taken up on the return of the air from the cooler. The amount lost or carried off by the condenser is replaced by the heat, air, and gases forming the second body or current of air, which is derived from simple compression by each stroke of the pump 0 drawn from the atmosphere. The top N be ing shut, and the pipe and top M being open, this supply, together with the gases of combustion, passes through the fire at about the temperature of 900 to 1,000 Fahrenheit, its oxygen supporting combustion, thence by the short flue X into the combustion and mixing chamber T, at which point both streams of air pass into the hot reservoir by the pipe M and valve 0.

For the purpose of mixing and producing a homogeneous temperature throughout the atoms, the air on its way to the cylinder is made to pass or blow through a series of small holes inthe plates S.

Having now described the circuit of both streams, which may be traced by the arrows, the use of the other parts is as follows: X is a pyrometer for ascertaining temperature; a pipe and cock for dividing the atmospheric supply ofair, putting part ofthe stream through the fire and a portion into the flue Xat the point shown, for the purpose of securing perfect combustion of the fuel gases. The operation of the valve 0 is ascertained by uncovering the top of the stem by removing the cap and guide I.

G is a pipe and screw-valve used for the purpose of discharging at each stroke of the engine about as much air asfhas been pumped in by the atmospheric pump 0, either into the atmosphere or into the air-vessel, (not shown, but designated as the auxiliary air-vessel,)

which is kept in any convenient place.

[for filling the coal vessel, removal of ashes,

valve H.

clinkers, or for adjusting the fire, or for any other purpose, the air may be discharged from the fire-place and adjacent parts by opening the pipe and cock W, and by first shutting the The mass of air is thus retained in the apparatus, which is again started by closing the parts open and using the reserve of air in the air-vessel before stated.

It may also be understood that the usual amount of leakage from stuffing-boxes or imperfect joints, which is a constant source of expense and trouble in most motors, is in this process quite immaterial.

My invention furnishes a cheap, economical, reliable, and effective motor-cheap, because the size of the apparatus does not control the amount of power; economical, because the Whole dynamic efi'ect of heat is utilized; reliable, because it has no weak points or parts subject to destruction by high temperature;

and effective, because of several reasons: first, as to power and the means of increasing or diminishing same; second, the absence of dust in the cylinders; and, third, by the absence of allsmoke, which is a prominent feature in this process, which is brought about by the Having fully described my process, I desire to say that the various parts are susceptible of rearrangement, so as to operate in a horizontal apparatus. The fire-place and chamber '1 may be constructed as one vessel. The two streams of air may be joined or commingled at a point farther removed from or more immediately in contact with the fuel. The equal- ,izer may be left out of the combination; but

as the effect would entail a loss of power I have endeavored to specify my invention so as to produce its best effects; and in order to distinguish my invention or process from all prior plans I hereby state that I am aware that air has been kept under compression in vesselsand allowed to expand and contract by circulating the same, by pumps and cylinders, through a heating and afterward a cooling process also, that atmospheric air, without previous compression, has been used by passing it direct through the fire, and used in connection with the gases of combustion.

In the first of these plans the cause of failure I have before stated as bringing about a destruction of the heating-vessels by the high temperature necessary to overcome the adiathermal property of air. In second class of cases, although the results were important so far as effecting a great saving in fuel, yet the power obtained was simply an expansion of air from its normal atmospheric condition of no actual working pressure to a very limited force or power.

Now, what I claim as my invention or process is embraced in the two following claims:

1. The process herein described for employing air and the gases of fire combustion as a motive power, consisting in the employment of two bodies or streams of air, when one of these bodies or streams of air is circulated and maintained under pressure, and heated in contact with another body or stream of fresh atmospheric air forced through a fire or hot gases, in order to support combustion, and mixing both bodies or streams together with the gases of tire combustion, for the purposes and in the manner substantiallyas above described.

2. In an apparatus employing air and the gases of fire combustion for purposes of motive power, the combination of a main circulatingpump, B, an equalizer, D, with a combustion and air-mixing chamber, T, hot reservoir with LUKE HARRINGTON, G. W. LIVERMORE. 

